Awkward
by The Mocking J
Summary: Charlie finally succeeds in "apprehending" Phantom R... but she interrupts his date with Marie.


_**[[Now that I've done a Rhythm Thief crossover fic, it's almost obligatory that I write a normal Rhythm Thief oneshot about my favourite pairing in this game. Raphael/Marie is adorable, but Phantom R/Charlie cracks me up and I love these two together... Please excuse the unoriginal title, and bear with me if the characters are out of sorts. T_T  
**_**Disclaimer: **_**I own nothing.**_

**Set: **_**After The Emperor's Treasure. **_

**Spoilers: _For most of the _**_**game.]]**_

* * *

**Awkward**

It had been several months since the infernal schemes of the Chevaliers Diabolique. Paris was recovering; slowly but surely. A blanket of calm settled over the fair city; the buildings wrecked in Napoleon's onslaught were repaired, the citizens resumed their carefree lifestyles...

But not Charlie Vergier. Oh no, the life of a Private Eye was never dull. She couldn't get what had happened off her mind, and she had soccer club to keep her on her toes. The young detective was also obsessed with tracking down France's most elusive thief, and, as of recent, _hero_– Phantom R.

The problem was that Phantom R had vanished without a trace.

Charlie couldn't believe it. She'd interviewed the constables, countless civilians, and the press. No one had seen him. Once she flew her hang glider over the city, hoping to spot Phantom R from the air. _Nothing. _Not even a sign of his annoying white dog.

_How… how_ dare_ he just disappear! _

They'd put their differences aside and saved Paris together... Not that that changed anything. He was still a wanted criminal who needed to be brought to justice. And Charlie was going to find him. It was time for _her _grand finale.

But what if Phantom R wasn't even in Paris (or _France) _anymore? What if something bad had happened to him? (She'd had to rescue the idiot from a few sticky situations before…)

These doubts were dispelled one day when Charlie was wandering down Rue de Conti, playing Keepy Uppy with her football. There seemed to be some commotion by the crossing.

"_I did it!"_ A young brunette woman was whooping, waving her camera wildly in the air. "I actually got a _photo_ of the sensational _Phantom R_! _Me_, _Collette, _from the Eiffel Bulge! I didn't get an interview with him, but who _cares_? This is going to be all over the front page...!"

Charlie squeezed through the curious crowd Colette had attracted and grabbed the news reporter's arm. "Let me see that," Charlie demanded, hoping to catch a glimpse of the picture.

"No way, little boy— go find your own camera!"

They wrestled over the device until Colette finally showed her the photo with a huff. Charlie gasped. It was a blurry snapshot, obviously taken in a hurry. However, if you squinted at the left corner you could just make out the target. A flash of red and midnight blue. The tip of a white dog's tail.

He was_ back._

"Thank you!" Charlie called to a very confused Colette. She was already running to the Constabulary HQ. This was where Charlie had first tried to arrest Phantom R, challenging him to a football match in the street. He'd beaten her... but only because his mangy mutt had chomped on her leg!

Charlie slipped in through the HQ's back door and crept down the corridors.

"Bonjour, Charlie!"

She froze. Thankfully, it was only Constable Loic, a portly man with short grey hair. He'd always been pretty sympathetic towards Charlie about her old man. "You looking for your father?" he asked.

"No," Charlie answered carefully, "but I need to _borrow something from his office_."

Loic's moustache twitched in amusement. "I see."

He pretended to look away while she hid behind a filing cabinet. Then the constable knocked on his superior's door, hollering "Inspector Vergier, the commissioner wants to see you!"

Vergier came out of his room, grumbling about being in the middle of reading a case file. He'd been a lot less stressed since the Chevalier Diabolique's downfall. Still, work was always top priority with him.

Loic gave Charlie the thumbs up when the inspector was out of sight. She nodded and darted into her father's office which was, as usual, a tip. Grinning, Charlie retrieved a pair of silver handcuffs from the over- stuffed shelf_. It wasn't really stealing if she planned on returning them to her father later, right? _ How ironic— she was thieving to catch the thief.

And no way was she letting said thief escape this time.

**-0-**

First Charlie visited the site of their previous encounter: the Pairs Opéra. She combed the entire building– even the roof— without success. Next Charlie checked the Louvre, betting the crook would return to his old crime scene. _No Phantom R there_. She even climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower, only to scream out over the railings in frustration:

"_WHERE IS HE?" _

The young detective might have had more luck if she'd asked the constables to aid her in her search. But Charlie stubbornly rejected this notion. It was _her _mission alone to capture the rhythm thief. (He was _her _sworn enemy!)She would show her father she was capable of such a feat, gaining his respect.

By mid afternoon, however, Charlie was exhausted and nearly ready to throw in the towel. There was only an hour or so left before soccer practice. If she was late, her rival Urbain would never let her live it down.

Charlie trudged down the path leading to her apartment, dejectedly dribbling her football...

That was when she saw him.

He was casually sitting at a white table outside a little cafe, unconcerned that members of the public could recognise him in full daylight.

Soccer practice would have to wait.

Charlie didn't even pause to wonder why he was _here _of all places. Instead, she picked up her football and jumped behind the low hedge that surrounded the cafe, not taking her eyes off him for a second. Should she call the Constabulary for backup? No time_. _She was going to have to detain him by herself... _but how? _The girl hummed thoughtfully and glanced at the football in her hands. She smirked.

He was going to get a mega penalty kick to the head.

The ball flew through the hedge as if it had been launched from a canon. It hit Phantom R square in the back of the temples, stunning him. His hat fell off and his face smacked against the surface of the table. Charlie leapt from her hiding place, rushing to his side. She latched the handcuffs across Phantom R's wrists.

"_Got you!_ Phantom R, you're under arrest!"

"Oww..." the Phantom groaned. He lifted his head, blinking at her dazedly. "Ch-Charlie...? That you?"

"On your feet!" She gave the handcuffs a sharp tug. Phantom R staggered out of his chair.

Charlie's surprise attack had drawn the attention of the other customers; some were whispering, clearly concerned about the red haired boy's welfare (and probably Charlie's sanity).

"Nothing to see here, folks," Charlie assured them. "Just police work."

Before she could march Phantom R away from the table, a fretful voice called:

"Raph— _I mean, Phantom R! What's going on?"_

A blonde haired girl dashed out of the cafe, closely followed by Phantom R's barking dog. Charlie instantly recognised her as Duchess Elizabeth's daughter, Marie.

_What's she doing at a cafe with Phantom R...? _Charlie thought. Her gaze flickered between Phantom R and Marie until she noticed the blonde girl was wearing a pretty white dress, the rose bouquet on the table, and Phantom R's blushing face. Then realisation washed over her. _Oh. _

It looked like Charlie had just interrupted their...date.

Phantom R seemed to have recovered slightly, or maybe he just didn't want Marie to worry. "I'm okay, Marie. You remember Charlotte, Inspector Vergier's daughter?"

"It's _Char-lie_!"

"Yes, hello again," Marie smiled at the young detective politely. "How are you, and your father?"

"Fine," Charlie mumbled.

A moment of awkward silence passed between the three of them.

"Um, I bought Fondue some food," Marie chatted, placing a bowl she'd gotten inside on the floor. (The dog wolfed down his meal with delight.) "The waiter at the counter even gave him this bowl. Isn't that sweet?"

"Yeah..." Charlie frowned. "Look, sorry if I ruined your... day out, but I need to take Phantom R to the Constabulary now." Marie's face fell.

"Right_ now?_ Really, Charlie?" Phantom R sighed.

"Silence, idiot!" she snapped, shoving him. "_Allons-y!"_

Phantom R refused to budge. "I'm not goin' anywhere with you 'til I've walked Marie home safely."

"Oh, Phantom R, you don't have to do that," Marie dismissed. However, her azure eyes shimmered at the hope of spending more time with him.

"Are you kidding? If your mother believed I'd left you alone, she'd never allow us to meet like this again. She'd have Alfred personally slap me—"

"Ahem," Charlie coughed loudly. "Move. _Now_, Phantom R, before I _drag _you all the way there."

"Here's the deal, Charlotte..." _("CHARLIE!") _"You let me take Marie to the palace, and then I'll come quietly."

Charlie gritted her teeth. She knew her task would be a lot easier if she agreed. (And it was true; they couldn't just abandon the Duchess's daughter on the streets.) "Fine. But you'd better not break your promise."

"Raph... _Phantom R_ would never break a promise," Marie defended him with certainty.

_You mean he'd never break a promise to _you_, _Charlie mentally corrected her.

So, after Fondue had finished his food, off they went. It was quite an uncomfortable scenario for them all; Marie and Phantom R possibly would've been holding hands had he not been shackled and if they weren't accompanied by Charlie, who watched the rhythm thief like a vigilant bulldog. Charlie was relieved when they finally reached the golden front gates of the Palace of Versailles, where a butler was waiting to greet Marie.

Marie nodded to the butler and turned to her companions with a parting smile. "Well, goodbye, Charlie. Goodbye again, Phantom R..." She trailed off sadly. Charlie felt a small stab of guilt. It was glaringly obvious that Marie was very fond of the Phantom, and Charlie was tearing the two lovebirds apart.

"Hey, don't worry," Phantom R comforted Marie. "I'll see you soon... If Charlie let's me." His handcuffs jingled as he lifted her chin up...

Charlie pulled him away before things could get any more intimate between the couple. "Let's go, idiot. _Au revoir, Marie."_

True to his word, Phantom R then followed Charlie to the Constabulary HQ without trying to escape. (They both knew he could've done that easily if he tried.) Fondue trotted alongside them. Charlie glared down at him, but the canine didn't so much as growl at her.

"Why do you still wanna arrest me, Charlie?" Phantom R suddenly questioned. "I thought we were friends."

"We are _not _friends," Charlie scoffed. She owed him nothing. Their debt had been settled months ago. "Our partnership ended with Napoleon's defeat. You may have helped the Constabulary save Paris, but then you just left—"

He smirked. "Aw, did you _miss _me?"

"O_-of course not," _she spluttered. "I was going to say you just left _without paying for your crimes_. Stealing national treasures from the Louvre is unforgivable."

"I had a good reason," Phantom R muttered, his voice no longer teasing. "And I was planning to return everything I'd stolen..." His words resembled her earlier thoughts on stealing her father's handcuffs. She shook her head. That was a completely different situation— her reasons were valid! She told him plainly, "Then you should have done that sooner, shouldn't you?", and refused to speak to him for the rest of the trip.

**-0-**

"Back so soon, Charlie?" Loic raised an eyebrow when they entered HQ and came to her father's office. "And I see you've brought someone with you."

"Yes," Charlie confirmed proudly. "Please alert my father immediately."

"Alert your father about what? Your new _boyfriend_?"

Her cheeks flushed an angry red. "N-no, this is the _Phantom R!"_

"_That's_ Phantom R?"

"Don't you recognise him?"

Loic peered at them closely. "His face seems familiar... but I'm not sure if that's Phantom R. I thought he'd disappeared."

Charlie whirled around to study her prisoner. Her jaw dropped. Where Phantom R had been moments ago now stood a plain red haired boy. He appeared slightly older than Charlie, but younger and less suave than Phantom R. Instead of a dark blue suit and hat, he wore jeans, a blue cardigan, and glasses. There was an expression of confusion and mild annoyance on his face.

"B-but _how...?" _Charlie stuttered. (Phantom R had been standing _right _next to her...!)

"I think you may have made a mistake," Loic mouthed to her.

The boy held up his handcuffed arms and agreed "That's exactly what I was trying to tell this guy on the way here. Do I _look _like a famous art thief?"

Charlie argued weakly "He must have changed clothes... or something..."

"Who changes in the _middle of the street_?"

"Do you have any evidence, Charlie?" Loic checked doubtfully.

"His hair is red." (The boy applauded her for pointing out the obvious.) "And Phantom R's dog was following us a second ago..."

"Where's the dog now?" the redhead challenged.

"I...I don't know," Charlie faltered. She looked at Loic again, insisting "But I swear he _is _Phantom R!"

"Whatever you say," the boy shrugged. "But you might want to contact Duchess Elizabeth for a second opinion. I'm a family friend—"

"That won't be necessary," Loic intervened. "I'm very sorry; this is just a mix up. Charlie was only trying to do her duty to protect Paris, you know? Let me remove those for you..." Loic quickly went into Vergier's office and returned with some handcuff keys. The boy rubbed his wrists when he was finally freed.

Loic smiled at him nervously. "I hope you can forgive us, young man. No need to give the Duchess a negative report about the Constabulary..."

"Of course not," the boy smiled. "If it's no trouble, I'll be going now." On his way out, he turned and winked at Charlie. (And she was sure she heard a familiar _"Woeuf!" _outside.)

Charlie started after him, disbelieving, humiliated and furious. It _was _Phantom R— it had to be! Somehow he'd outsmarted her... and managed to escape this time.

But Phantom R was definitely _back_. That was all that really mattered.

And one of these days she was going to catch him.


End file.
